1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing extended content booklet labels (ECBL).
2. The Prior Art
Frequently product containers are identified by applying an adhesive-backed label to an outer surface of the container. Such labels retain their product-identifying purpose by remaining permanently affixed to the container.
Certain products which require extensive instructions or which are subject to significant government regulations require additional printed matter which is typically inserted into the product container. In the case of pharmaceuticals, the printed matter may be in the form of printed sheets, printed inserts, or printed outserts. An example of such may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,530. While these various forms of printed matter have the benefit of providing a relatively large amount of information, their overall effectiveness is limited if they become separated from the product container.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,027,780 and 5,830,550 both entitled Booklets and Self Adhesive Labels Including the Same shows single labels and multi-up booklets adhered to a continuous web. A label product including a release liner having an upper surface and a booklet disposed on the upper surface of the release liner. In all embodiments, the outserts and booklets are directly adhered to the underlying web with double coated tape or adhesive transfer tape. In multi-up embodiments, the booklets are die-cut to separate them into individual booklet labels. Die-cutting is problematic as the number of pages in the booklets increase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,315 entitled Multi-Ply Resealable Label shows booklets with windows adhered to a continuous web. A label includes a base label having upper and lower opposed surfaces and first and second opposed ends. A base adhesive coats the lower surface of the base label. A top panel overlies the upper surface of the base label and is joined to the base label adjacent the first end. The top panel has an upper surface. A tab having upper and lower opposed surfaces overlies the upper surface of the base label. An adhesive patch is interposed between the base label and the tab adjacent the second end. The adhesive patch secures the lower surface of the tab to the upper surface of the base label. A laminate cover overlies the top panel and the tab. A laminate adhesive secures the laminate cover to the upper surface of the top panel and releasably joins the laminate cover to the upper surface of the tab.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,500 entitled Label with Booklet shows a label with an overlaminate that extends beyond the label perimeter. A label with booklet comprises a liner material and a label having an upper and lower surface located on the liner. The label is secured to the liner by an adhesive layer on its lower surface such that the label can be peeled off the liner with the adhesive remaining on the lower surface of the label. A booklet is affixed to the upper surface of the label and comprises a plurality of stacked pages having edges including a top page and a bottom page, each of the pages being coextensive with each other and of smaller dimensions than the label. The booklet further comprises a cover member entirely covering the top page and extending beyond at least two opposing edges of the top page, the cover member having an upper non-adhesive surface, and a lower surface having an adhesive thereon by means of which the lower surface of the cover member is permanently adhered to the upper surface of the top page. The booklet is completely removable from the label by removing at least a portion of the cover member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,623 entitled Adhesive Label/Leaflet Assemblies shows multi-up leaflets which are die-cut and then covered with a narrow overlaminate that forms shoulders at the edges to facilitate access to the leaflets beneath.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,499 entitled Nested Label shows a label with die cut windows applied to a release liner. A nested label includes a liner having a surface release, and a label removably bonded to the liner by an adhesive. The liner and label have respective die cuts spaced apart from each other at a skip in the liner release for obtaining different bond strengths between the label and liner on opposite sides of the label die cut.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,743 entitled Multilayer Label and Method of Making Same shows multi-page labels with staggered sheets to facilitate application to curved containers. A multiple layer label and a method of making the same are provided. Specifically, a label having a base layer for adhering to a container is provided wherein the label has an overcoat layer having an end that is removably adhered to the container. Moreover, the end that is removably adhered to the container is grasped by a user of the label and pulled, thereby removing the end of the overcoat layer from the container and swinging the layer away from the remainder of the label and exposing sublayers beneath the overcoat layer. The overcoat layer is adhered directly to the base layer, and at least portions of the sublayers. Each of the overcoat layer, sublayers, and the base layer may have indicia printed thereon for communicating information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,335 entitled Product Label Bearing an Instructional Booklet shows a folded booklet adhered to a portion of a label. A two part identifying and instructional booklet having a label part and a booklet part. The front of the label has a small unvarnished region. The booklet is folded and glued closed with the free edges secured interiorly. An adhesive is printed onto the unvarnished region of the label and the folded booklet is adhered to the unvarnished region. The booklet has a tab portion to facilitate opening of the book during use. The tab portion faces the identifying portion of the label which extends longitudinally outwardly from the unvarnished region. The label may be placed onto a cylindrical container and bent in the longitudinal direction whereby the spine and folds of the booklet remain straight, flat and parallel to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,614 entitled Nested Leaflet Label Structure shows a booklet adhered to a label. A nested leaflet label structure having an enhanced information carrying capacity. The nested leaflet label structure includes a base panel having a front face. A first leaflet is adjacent to the front face and comprises a first folded panel having a first fold extending substantially parallel to the first axis of the label structure. The first fold divides the first folded panel into a pair of first leaves each having inner and outer page faces. A second leaflet comprises a second folded panel having a second fold extending substantially parallel to the first axis of the label structure. The second fold divides the second folded panel into a pair of second leaves each having inner and outer page faces. A laminating layer overlies the base panel and the first leaflet. The second leaflet is nested in the first leaflet. An assembling adhesive adheres the second leaflet to the first leaflet.
Fold-out labels made from single sheets are shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,366 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,550. An example of a booklet which incorporates certain advantages of a label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,559. The patent discloses a relatively simple booklet containing four sheets, i.e., eight pages. In all of these patents, the first page contains information which would otherwise be placed on the product label. The entire back page is adhered to the container leaving only the intermediate pages for instructional information. A further drawback of these patents lies in the fact that if their first page becomes detached from the booklet the product container would be unlabeled. U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,398 shows method for making removable inserts. U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,137 describes a method for manufacturing adhesive image transfer labels.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for manufacturing extended content booklet labels which combines the efficiency of a continuous process for handling multi-up book logs with the instructional capacity of a multi-page booklet.